More than 350 parents gathered for the first two events in Whitefield’s Bolstering Christian Families Speaker Series, held January 9 and 23 in the Louise Owens Theater.
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Big Picture Parenting, the first event, was presented by Dr. Mark Crawford and Tommy Newberry. The two joined together to help parents understand the need for a comprehensive, or “big picture” look at parenting, rather than managing parenting on a case-by-case basis. They pointed out that parents often work in crisis mode, dealing with stressful situations as they arise, rather than developing family values which can be applied to every situation, no matter its particulars.
During the seminar parents reflected on what three values were central to their individual families and developed a plan of action to make sure those values were clearly communicated to children.
“Your children should be able to name the three most important values of your family by heart,” said Crawford. “It’s important that these are clearly communicated and steadfast.”
Parents also learned how to develop a unique parenting plan for each of their children based on their personalities, gifts, and drives.
In the second speaker event, Tim Challies challenged parents to be watchdogs of their children as they
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interact in this ever-changing digital age. He began the lecture by sharing about Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the famous Little House on the Prairie series, who began her life when covered wagons were crossing the country, and died not long before man walked on the moon.
“In her lifetime she saw vast changes which impacted the way people lived and communicated,” said Challies. “Today’s children will see significant changes in their lifetime as well, and those changes are happening even more rapidly.”
Challies warned parents that technology brings benefits to society,but those benefits must be weighed against the potential hazards it may also bring. He reminded parents that though the benefits of technology can be seen immediately, its negative consequences sometimes take years to unfold.
“While society gained vast access to important information with the onset of the internet, who would have thought that a short time later we would have a large number of 13-year-old boys addicted to pornography, which is now more readily available than ever before ” said Challies. “As Christians, we need to be vigilant and prayerful in our use of technology." He encouraged parents to use accountability software and other devices to monitor their children’s use of the internet.
The final speaker in the Bostering Christian Families Speaker Series will be Tal Prince, who is speaking on March 28. Prince is a nationally recognized preacher and communicator who incorporates artistic elements such as drama, humor, music, and movie clips in his teachings. He serves as director of Tapestry of Hope in Birmingham, AL and as host of Tal Prince Live, a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio’s Family Net.
Big Picture Parenting, the first event, was presented by Dr. Mark Crawford and Tommy Newberry. The two joined together to help parents understand the need for a comprehensive, or “big picture” look at parenting, rather than managing parenting on a case-by-case basis. They pointed out that parents often work in crisis mode, dealing with stressful situations as they arise, rather than developing family values which can be applied to every situation, no matter its particulars.
During the seminar parents reflected on what three values were central to their individual families and developed a plan of action to make sure those values were clearly communicated to children.
“Your children should be able to name the three most important values of your family by heart,” said Crawford. “It’s important that these are clearly communicated and steadfast.”
Parents also learned how to develop a unique parenting plan for each of their children based on their personalities, gifts, and drives.
In the second speaker event, Tim Challies challenged parents to be watchdogs of their children as they
interact in this ever-changing digital age. He began the lecture by sharing about Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the famous Little House on the Prairie series, who began her life when covered wagons were crossing the country, and died not long before man walked on the moon.
“In her lifetime she saw vast changes which impacted the way people lived and communicated,” said Challies. “Today’s children will see significant changes in their lifetime as well, and those changes are happening even more rapidly.”
Challies warned parents that technology brings benefits to society,but those benefits must be weighed against the potential hazards it may also bring. He reminded parents that though the benefits of technology can be seen immediately, its negative consequences sometimes take years to unfold.
“While society gained vast access to important information with the onset of the internet, who would have thought that a short time later we would have a large number of 13-year-old boys addicted to pornography, which is now more readily available than ever before ” said Challies. “As Christians, we need to be vigilant and prayerful in our use of technology." He encouraged parents to use accountability software and other devices to monitor their children’s use of the internet.
The final speaker in the Bostering Christian Families Speaker Series will be Tal Prince, who is speaking on March 28. Prince is a nationally recognized preacher and communicator who incorporates artistic elements such as drama, humor, music, and movie clips in his teachings. He serves as director of Tapestry of Hope in Birmingham, AL and as host of Tal Prince Live, a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio’s Family Net.